I’m new to Model Railroading so there is probably something I’m missing when it comes to DCC. More specifically I was told by a representative at a major online business that specializes in DCC that the decoders Bachmann uses are “JUNK”. Also on this forum several people have had the same comment.
I recently bought two NCE “D14SRP” decoders and installed them in Bachmann 4-8-2 Heavy Mountain Steam loco’s. I purchased a Proto 2000 SD50 that TTX installed a NCE decoder in for me. I also just purchased a Proto 2000 F8 with DCC & sound. It came with a QSI sound decoder. I have several Bachmann loco’s that came with decoders already installed and I don’t understand why some people say they are junk. They can be programmed to run however you want the loco to run and they work great right out of the box.
All of the decoders are programmable. All of the locos seem to run equally well. Bachmann uses Lenz decoders according to the paperwork that comes with them.
So my question is: What makes the Bachmann decoders junk? I just don’t understand what the difference is since they all can be programmed and seem to work just fine. Outside of the QSI sound decoder in the F8 having more functions not to mention how much more it cost, I don’t see where the differences are.
Many hobby shop owners and customers consider anything made by Bachmann to be junk because that’s what it used to be – but Bachmann quality has improved drastically over the past couple of years. Bachmann has had to improve their products in order to stay competitive and not be driven completely out of business.
I’m just getting started with DCC and not an expert. I haven’t read much about the decoders in the Bachmann being junk as much as the loco itself not running very smoothly. Mainly because the lack of a flywheel in the diesel models.
What I do know is some decoders, like the MRC, have a bad reputation for being unreliable or just D.O.A.[xx(]
There are different features in decoders. Some have Back EMF. Lenz has a feature called RailCom and a electronic flywheel USP.
Others here can tell you more about with the features of other brands.
My personal experience with the Bachmann decoders has been that they’re noisy and don’t have particularly good low-speed performance. If they were able to add silent drive and ideally BEMF to them they’d be fine, as the basic locos are now excellent. Would I be willing to pay the extra? Yes, as it would mean that I don’t have to buy replacement decoders and open them up. Their GP30 could be fighting it out with Proto models if it had a better stock decoder, as the mechanism, paintwork and detailing is of a very good standard.
I don’t have any MRC decoders, but of bunch, I’ve had the worst luck with Digitrax and the best luck with NCE.
Now there are a number of the $30 Bachman diesels with onboard DCC. I don’t know of any programming issues with them because the owners just aren’t aware enough to try, but they all run smoothly and reliably.
I have three Bachmann steamers. All good runners and well made for the money. The last one came with DCC. It ran OK but has been already pointed out not the best performance. Once I removed every component of the Bachmann DCC system and replaced it with a Digitrax decoder the engine ran much better. I think Bachmann has to do some work on their DCC systems.
ENTRY LEVEL is entry level - no matter who makes it. It’s marketing thrust is for the new first time buyer to whom price is the most important issue.
To get a low price is easy. Just leave things out… You may, or may not, miss them.
Old saying: ‘You get what you pay for’; and certainly ‘One never misses what they don’t know or can’t see.’
The Bachmann DCC may have push buttons to run 10 engines - but not at the same. time. It’s a low powered ‘Starter Set’. Most buyers will end up relacing it later on.
sort of like one’s first baseball glove.
For one-person-running on a small layout it’s fine. It works best with Bachmann engines, which come pre-programmed. If you want to skip installing, programming, and just want to ‘play trains’, It’s for you.
I’m about to invest in my first DCC system, and have decided on the Digitrax Zephyr. I was also intending to get a bunch of Digitrax decoders for my locos. I was just wondering what problems you’ve had with your Digitrax decoders (before I plunk down the cash for them)?
My Zephyr is great. The decoders, well, they tend to reset at the drop of a hat. One had a problem of not working the lights (the lights would work with the DC dummy board), then it finally died. That’s about it.
I may have led people to believe that I bought a Bachmann DCC starter set using their DCC system. That is not the case. I am using the NCE Powerhouse Pro R DCC system.
What I’m asking is about Bachmann’s locomotives that come with the decoders already installed.
I know the DCC starter set is an entry level system and I stayed away from that because of the lack of expandibility.
I have 10 of the cheap Bachmann $30. diesels. Out of them I have two that are noisey. All the rest are quiet and I can program them just like the more expensive Ptoto 2000 that has the NCE decoder in it.
So, outside of the two I have that are noisey, the rest are great. I just don’t understand why Bachmann gets negative comments about the Lenz decoders they are using in their locos.
I’m very new in this hobby. From my point of view, not having an opinion based on past histsory, I feel the Bachmann locomotives are pretty good for the money. At least the ones I’ve purchased so far. True, they lack the detail found on other more expensive units but I’m not counting rivets, I’m looking for a decent loco to pull my train. I guess time will tell whether they hold up or not.
I have 2 of the DCC on board locos myself. I despise them as the are junk. If they can be programed to run better what CV’s and options must I set and to what. Perticularly A GP-40 with DCC. Bachmann has some issues to work out and their customer service is very unreliable
The Bachmann GP30 has incorrect fan spacing - extremely obvious issue. The P2K model has the correct fan spacing, thinner cab, and far superior detailing.
Big Blue, can you be more specific? What do you want the loco’s to do? If it’s different speed settings you are after CV2 is the starting voltage. I set mine at 10. Mid range is CV6. Mine is at 128. Full voltage is CV5 I set mine at the max, 255.
These are common settings for the most part. At these settings both of my GP40’s crawl. My digital readout on my hand held cab is at or around 15 when the engine starts to move.
When momentum is on they work just as it is stated in the NCE handbook. 1 being a faster start and 9 being the slowest starting and stopping point.